11/14/2011

HP TouchSmart 320 PC Review and Giveaway

Our house is full of all types of gadgets but only one desktop computer. The kids are getting to the age where they need to use the computer more for homework, not to mention that they would like to use it more for games, so my husband and I recently started discussing purchasing a second desktop. Secretly I think my husband only agreed because he was tired of hearing me say, "I am going to need the computer" every time he sat down to use it.

Because a new computer would be primarily for the kids, we knew for sure that we wanted it in a common area of the house where we could monitor the games they were playing and, more importantly, the sites they were visiting. The only problem is that in our current home there isn't a lot of extra space in those rooms.

We knew we needed an all-in-one type computer, so that we didn't have to carve out space for a tower, and that we would prefer not to have cords hanging all over the place. It was about that time that I was contacted about reviewing the HP TouchSmart 320 with AMD Vision Technology. After checking out the computer online, we knew it fit all of our requirements and more.

The HP TouchSmart 320 also had a touch display. I wasn't sure it would impress the kids, since they already have handheld devices of one sort or another with touch screens, but I personally I feel that activities that take advantage of a touch screen encourage more creativity and provide a better opportunity for interactive learning.

A few days later when the kids got home from school they were surprised to find a new desktop waiting for them.

Wow, was I wrong at how impressed they would be with the touch screen! I wish I would have caught my three year old daughter on video when she exclaimed, "You can click it with your finger? That is so COOL!"

They have had free range for the past week to explore all of the fun features. They have used the webcam to talk to their dad, who travels for work, experienced games on their favorite sites in a new way, played a little too much Angry Birds, created slideshows with their pictures, and doodled masterpieces on the magic canvas.

On the magic canvas you can draw pictures and write notes right on the desktop of the computer. The kids love using it to create their own backgrounds from their works of art, and I love that I can write notes for them that they can't miss.

The computer is eventually going to make it onto the little island on my side of the kitchen where I stack all the kids' paperwork and the mail. I will be able to help them with homework, monitor their computer time, and even look up a recipe while cooking.

Plus, since it already has a TV tuner, I can hook it up to our cable television service and watch TV on the 20 inch HD display or listen to music with Beats Audio. The video playback is really crisp and smooth with AMD's VISION technology. Now if only it would wash the dishes!

You can check out the HP TouchSmart 320 for yourself, and once you decide that it needs to make its way onto your Christmas list, they are available at HP Direct for $599.99. And if you leave a comment on this post telling me how you think the HP TouchSmart 320 would change your life, you will be entered in a random drawing for a chance to win a new HP TouchSmart of your own, provided by HP.

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries between 11/14/11 and 12/16/11 by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

****Disclaimer****Each comment posted in response to the prompt garners an automatic entry into a random drawing for a new HP TouchSmart 320 provided by HP. Comments will be pooled from all blogs, as only one TouchSmart will be given away, click here to check out the other reivews. Prize and promotional support provided by HP.

I was given a HP Touchsmart 320 for the purpose of reviewing and sharing my thoughts with you. All opinions are my own.

I think this would be great to spark my kids' creativity! The art program pictured would be right up their alley! In addtion, it seems very kid friendly with the touch screen, allowing my little ones to feel independent when navagating on the computer! This would be great!!! mrs.schmid@gmail.com

5 kids and lots of homework w/ one computer...this would be so helpful. I might actually get more sleep because I won't be up either doing my thing on the computer, or helping someone else whose had to wait their turn.

It would be the perfect solution in our house. We also have one desktop and the kids, myself, and my hubby are having to take turns. My oldest son is 9, my daughter is 6, and my youngest is 3. My oldest is starting to need the computer for school projects and my 6 year old for school reading projects. The touch screen would be wonderful for my 3 year old. :o)

We have laptops at our house, but that means that our kids can't really use them. They know how to use a regular mouse, but can't really work the touchpad well. But being able to touch a screen would be fantastic! My 3 year old LOVES playing games on the computer but gets SO frustrated. This would make it MUCH more enjoyable for everyone!

Are you kidding me? Winning a computer like this would DEFINITELY change my life! Our biggest drawback has been space and this is finally an option that would fit in our little office area. Its a long shot to win, but it sure would be fun! :)

This would be an amazing addition to our home! Our desktop sadly died (poer surge) during the devistating Hurricane Irene. I know my daughter (5) would love some of the touch screen freatures which have been proven to help teach children better :) Thank you for the oppertunity Be Diffrent and HP

I would love to have the HP Touchsmart 320 because then I wouldn't feel like an idiot when I touch my non-touchsmart computer screen and expect something to happen! I just expect everything to be a touchscreen anymore that I forget that my own computer is a dinosaur.

This is a fantastic giveaway! What a christmas that would be! Our old deadbeat computer slugs along, but its almost about to be in the double digits in age, and this new amazing one would rocket us into the future! Our computer is in our living room too and there is a giant mess of cords under the desk that is always agitating me. This really would be awesome!emntroy@embarqmail.com

We were looking into getting a computer for Christmas because the only one we have is my laptop and that is OFF LIMITS to the kids, but I totally want them to have the skills and the only way they'll get them is PRACTICE. This would totally change their lives!

This would be a great tool to add to my Hypnotherapy business. I could use it to easily record therapy sessions and to store client data. It would also useful to have as I start blogging for Hypnotherapy. I would love love this..

Wow! Lots of comments already! :) Having a computer like the HP Touchsmart 320 would make it much easier when I homeschool my children! We also have space restrictions and we really NEED another computer! It would make a massive difference for us!! *fingers crossed* :)

I love the touch screen.. how cool.... and how handy to leave messages for others in the family on it. We don't have a desktop so this would be the perfect addition to our office. No more fighting over the laptop.

Oh, this would not only chance my Christmas, but would change my life! My computer is a hand me down, we bought our first computer in 1994! Yes, 1994! Then the next 2 were my hubby's work ones! The next one I bought for $5.00! Yup! Five Dollars! Sad! This one is my sons that I use now, so we really have not owned a nice computer since 1994. And they told me, "You will never need more than 4 rams.I don't ever know what that means even now, but I know when I check with the IT department at my work, they just laugh!But this would change my world! My hubby and I don't give present to each other, because we have boys. They are grown now, but both are going to school. So, there goes our extra anything!! This would chance a lot for us! Maybe it would be okay this year? But hey, we are very blessed!! So, please don't any go feeling sorry for us! We have 2 wonderful kids! And our some times health! FUNNY!Thank you for this chance!

what an amazing computer and screen! My husband and I have been wanting to get a computer for the kids to use. But financially it isn't going to happen for years. My 4 oldest kids all have high functioning autism, and having a computer where they can look up everything that interests them and they are passionate about would be huge. Their favorite pastimes are art, design and programming. A computer like this would give them so much more access to those things. Thanks HP, Blogher and Mique for such an amazing giveaway just in time for Christmas (this would SOOOO be from Santa

This would definitely make my life easier. THe monitor is big so I can work on my graphics. The touchscreen is so much easier to work with. And we desperately need a desktop computer for our financal programs.

this would really change my life -- our current laptop (a castoff from my work) is so slow and full. it's our only source for watching movies, sharing family photos, and the like and we are all so impatient when it takes five minutes to start up. My 7 yo daughter really needs to start becoming more computer savvy -- she's mastered the smartphone and the iPad but the HP Touchsmart would be a really fun way for her to learn and engage with technology.

What an amazing computer. I've always been very impressed with HP computers that we've had. Their quality is always great. To make it so it is like a tablet on top of it? Amazing! I'd love to win this computer. My son is Autistic and a tablet is easier for him to use with his poor motor skills. This would be something that he, and his brothers, would absolutely love! Thank you for doing this great giveaway!

I am in beginning process of getting my daycare license and think winning this would be awesome to help me with all aspects of getting my new business up and running! Thanks for the chance at this great giveaway!

This computer would be my first new computer in 8 years. We bought our old computer before my 8 year old son was born. It was a bit slow, but steady until it just died. My dad gave me his old computer and it is great except it sounds like a jet engine taking off at random times during the day. When my guests ask, "what is that noise?", I tell them it's just my computer taking off and it will be back soon.

We are at the same stage, with our oldest now in grade 2 and youngest in preschool - the laptop that my hubby has to travel with for work just isn't cutting it anymore!Would love to win;) (as would everyone LOL)scrapmebaby@shaw.ca

Wow - this looks awesome. How would it change my life? Well, I think the touchscreen would make it much easier for my kids to use the computer (they're in pre-school) and I like the idea of them having a little more "freedom" from that perspective. Plus, my husband would love to play angry birds on something other than my little iphone! :) Thanks for the chance!

This would be awesome to win, To be able to skype with my sister. She got married 2 years ago and they moved to Canada. So sad. My blog is sailingwithbarefeet.blogspot.com Email address is crazyannie91@yahoo.com

I would really love to win this HP Touchsmart! I have been looking at new HP computers in the past couple of weeks to decide which one to ask for my Christmas gift. If I win this, then I can ask for a top of the line HP printer to go along with my new HP Touchsmart computer! So, Please Pick me!

I would love to have a new HP Touchsmart 320 in our home. I babysit alot and the children would react the same way yours did, they love playing on my phone because its a touch screen. I also love making cards, editing pictures, and graphic designing on my laptops and my desktop and having this would help so much!!! Thanks for the review and the chance to win such a great computer.

Would so love to watch my girls create with this Touchsmart! It would be great to have my to do list on there and a list for the hubby... all in all, a great command center for my family. I would love this in my kitchen area!

Wow- awesome giveaway! Not that I ever win anything, but a girl can try! My kids and I would love to have a computer like this- especially since my laptop got dropped and shattered! This sounds perfect!

What a great HP computer! Like you my kids are using the computer more and more for homework, games and other things so winning this would make life so much easier around here. Thank you for the opportunity!

This would be a Godsend to win! I would never be able to afford to buy a new PC, a new laptop, a tablet(Ipad), and the smartphone of the week, yet I need all of those things right now in order to not be unemployable at my age.

This sounds like an awesome product! Our family would use this for many things - watching movies, listening to music, my son playing games, etc. Our computer has crashed a few times recently, so this would be fabulous. Thanks!

This would be a Godsend to win! I would never be able to afford to buy a new PC, a new laptop, a tablet(Ipad), and the smartphone of the week, yet I need all of those things right now in order to not be unemployable at my age.

This would so totally change my life! My hubby is an IT dude and my kids are in college and high school.Somebody is always needing to use the main computer!I have just the spot for this baby! Holla! ;)

I would love the HP TouchSmart 320! It would totally change my life in that I could have a computer that I didn't have to stand on my head and align the power cord with the sun and moon to charge it LOL! My current computer is so old school--this computer would rock my world!! Thanks for the chance :)

(the computer i am using now needs to be shot to put me out of my misery - oh, i hope it doesn't read this) i have 5 kids at home trying to use the computer (besides me) and they have a pile of homework every night that has to be done on the computer and online textbooks. ugh. with this new computer, i could be attending honor roll assemblies instead of telling this child that they can't do their homework now because that one needs to graduate high school more than they need to pass third grade (etc). and i must say that the idea of a touchscreen and no tower - mind-bogglingly fabulous. i could put my legs under my desk! pretty good price too. well, here's hoping for a win!!! skeime (at) gmail

I I have been looking for a computer to use at my new business opening in January and found my boyfriend playing withh a touch screen computer while I was researching. I loved it and thought it would be great for retail check out and appointment sign in at the yoga studio.

How would winning this impact my life? for starters the screen is larger than my present tv! It would take up less space than my old clunker computer. I might learn to play Angry Birds!The touch screen would be easier for my OLD hands too.

It would help change my life because I would no longer have to look at the empty space reserved just for a computer like this. I've been dreaming of putting one of these in my kitchen. Then the kids would have their screen time right there with me present.chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

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